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Geanta
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How could electrically charged particles be massless before the symmetry breaking? Wouldn't the energy stored in the electric field contribute to particles mass?
Charged particles are subatomic particles that have an electric charge, either positive or negative. Examples of charged particles include protons, electrons, and ions.
Mass is a fundamental property of matter that measures the amount of matter in an object. It is a measure of an object's resistance to acceleration when a force is applied.
Symmetry breaking is a concept in physics where a system loses its symmetry due to external influences or interactions. In the context of charged particles, it refers to the breaking of symmetry between particles and their antiparticles.
The mass of charged particles before symmetry breaking is not well-defined and can vary depending on the specific particle. However, in particle physics, it is generally accepted that charged particles have zero mass before symmetry breaking occurs.
Symmetry breaking can result in the creation of new particles and interactions, which can lead to the acquisition of mass for previously massless particles. This is known as the Higgs mechanism and is a crucial component of the Standard Model of particle physics.